


All Along

by zanash



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Daryl Dixon Smut, Drinking, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fist Fights, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, I'm Bad At Summaries, Memories, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:29:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanash/pseuds/zanash
Summary: Daryl & Raelynn have been friends forever.  She's in a really bad spot & Daryl wants her out of it.  Daryl doesn't want her to know about his deepest feelings because he's afraid of losing his best friend.  Sometimes, you have to take a chance to know if the best thing that could happen, will.Sorry, I really suck at summaries, LOL!
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Daryl had known all along how bad things were. He and Raelynn had been friends since middle school and by now, he could read her like a book. He was the one who was always there to wipe away her tears and sit up with her all night when Nick fucked up. “Why don’t you just leave him?” He’d asked her that a million times. She always looked at him with the saddest smile he’d ever seen and told him that she just couldn’t. “He’s always told me that he’ll kill himself.” “Rae, you know that ain’t no way to live,” he implored every time. Plus, he always made sure that he kept her broke. She got up and went to work every single day, and she made damn good money at her job, but she often went without lunch or even so much as a snack because Nick would spend all the money that hit their joint account. 

Raelynn felt beaten down, completely defeated. If it wasn’t enough that Nick financially and mentally controlled her, he was cheating and not even trying to hide it from her. He was always on his phone sending messages through Facebook Messenger because he fucked up one too many times and sent her texts that were meant for his side piece. No matter how much she tried to talk to him, or even yell, he insisted that she wasn’t seeing what she thought she was. “Why are you always starting this shit, Rae? You don’t want me anymore? I’m not good enough for you?” That bastard knew just what strings to pull to make her feel like the lowest form of scum. 

Daryl got out of bed and groggily staggered to the door. It was after midnight and he knew without asking that it was Rae. He opened the door and pulled her into a hug without a word. He walked her to the couch and held her until she was all cried out. Again. “What’s he done this time?” Daryl dreaded the day she came through his door with a mark on her. He’d kill the fucker. “I got the usual rendition of what a useless piece of shit I am,” she sighed. “I don’t come home from work and clean the house just the way he wants. I guess sleeping all damn day must be exhausting to him.” Daryl’s jaw clenched and he balled his fist just to keep himself from screaming for her to just leave already. She needed comfort, not an ultimatum. “You know ain’t none of that shit’s true. You’re smart as hell and you work hard. Why don’t you let me help you get out of there? Live here with me until you can save up enough money.” 

Raelynn wanted to. Being free would be a dream come true, but it could turn into her worst nightmare. In her heart, she knew that Nick would probably never go through with his suicide threat, but what if he did? She wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. Daryl intertwined his fingers with hers. “C’mon, Rae. Just do it already. You know I’ll help ya and you can stay here as long as you want.” She opened her mouth and before she could say anything, Daryl was already talking. “Rae, sweetheart, you don’t deserve to be treated like this. Please, Rae. Let me help you get out of there. Fuck, just let your next paycheck go into that account and let him have it. I have money in my savings account and I can take care of you.”

Raelynn had tears in her eyes and she was more scared than she could remember being. Daryl had made this offer countless times before, but this time, Rae felt like it was time. She was ready to make a change and she knew that Daryl would be there for her every step of the way. Daryl watched her chin dimple as she started to cry and he just knew that she was going to shoot him down, yet again. “Hey, don’t cry. You know it kills me to see ya cryin’.” He pulled her against his chest and cupped her jaw in his hand. “I gotcha, darlin’. You know that I’ll always be here.” She turned her head up and looked into his blue eyes. “I’ll pay you back, I swear. I mean, if you really mean it.” 

Daryl almost dumped her onto the floor, he was so excited. “No, you won’t! I won’t take anything back. I want you to be happy and only have the life that you deserve. Where’s that prick at? Can we go pack up your clothes and stuff?” Rae shook her head, smiling at her dear friend. “Daryl, I’m so tired and my head hurts something awful. Can we plan on moving me out a little later?” Daryl tilted his head to the side and studied her face. That worried expression she always had was already gone. “Why didn’t ya say somethin’? C’mere and sit down. You know my neck rubs always make your headaches go away.”

He kneaded his thumbs deep into the drum-tight muscles of her neck and shoulders until she started to fall forward as she drifted off to sleep. “Let’s get you to bed,” Daryl said quietly. “How’s the headache?” Rae reached up and squeezed his hand. “It’s gone. Thank you, D. Thank you for everything you’ve done and everything you’re doing.” He hugged her from behind, holding her tight for a long time. He was relieved that she was finally leaving that dickhead. “Ain’t gotta thank me, you just gotta live and be happy. That’s all the thanks I need.” 

After he walked her to the room she always slept in and made sure she was set for the night, Daryl crashed onto his own bed. A million thoughts raced through his mind. Most of them were good, but the one lingering thought that bounced around out of control was the one of how much he was in love with Raelynn. He had been for years, but he never had the nerve to tell her how he felt. When she married Nick, he could have kicked his own ass, but Merle was right there in his ear telling him what a dumbass and a pussy he was for letting her get away. He sighed deeply and ran his hands through his hair. There was no way he was going to make the same mistake again. He just had to grow some balls, according to his brother, and just put it all out there. He hoped that he could actually do it and that it wouldn’t destroy the bond they had.

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Bright sunlight filtered in through the closed blinds on Daryl’s bedroom window, hitting him right in the eyes. He had been meaning to move his bed around, but he always put it off. “Uuuugggghhh,” he grumbled as he turned over. He was sure that he hadn’t slept more than a few hours and he was dead tired. Rae was beside him. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for her to come in and sleep beside him if she was having a hard time, but he was surprised that he hadn’t woken up. She looked peaceful and so, so beautiful. Sometimes, just the sight of her made his heart feel like it was out of rhythm. He reached over and swept a strand of hair off of her face. He might not possess the power to make himself confess his feelings, but he had always been powerless to stop from touching her in some way. She never stopped herself either. Raelynn had always been a very physically affectionate person and she showed her love by way of hugs or holding hands. It was one of the things that Daryl loved most about her. 

Even in her sleep, he could tell her eyes were puffy. He needed to check to see if that ice mask was in the freezer from last time. He bought a few for her because she always woke up with a terrible headache after a night of crying. He hated Nick even more for that. Rae had chronic headaches and migraines and they both were triggered by stress. Sometimes she had to take shots to make the migraines go away, but Nick refused to learn how to give them to her and she couldn’t do it herself, so Daryl would drive over and take care of her. He never cared to do anything for Rae, but Nick was her husband and this was the sort of thing a husband should do for his wife, he thought.

He crept out of bed and down to the kitchen so he could make sure she had masks when she woke up and to start a pot of coffee. He also checked to make sure he had her favorite creamer. He always kept things that she liked. Even if she didn’t come over for a week or longer, he made sure that she would have all of her favorite things when she did. As soon as the coffee was ready, he poured himself a cup and headed out to the porch to have his morning smoke. 

His cigarette was half-smoked when he heard the screen door open. “Mornin’.” he greeted, taking a good look to see how she really was. “Good morning. You sleep ok?” He gave her a curt nod and chewed his bottom lip. “Mmm-hmm. Didn’t even know you got in bed with me till I woke up. How about you?” She shrugged her shoulders and made a dismissive sound. “He called.” Daryl’s hackles immediately raised and he was ready to fight her to make sure that she didn’t fall back into Nick’s trap. “He called me a whore for being here and not at home where I belong.” Daryl’s first instinct was to hop on his bike and go over and beat Nick’s ass into the dirt, but he was able to set that aside and focus on Raelynn. “You know you ain’t no whore. Fuck him for sayin’ that shit.” They sat in silence for a long while, both of them sipping their coffee. “I don’t want ya goin’ back there unless I’m with ya. I don’t trust him.” To his utter amazement, Rae agreed. “Ok. I won’t.” Maybe, just maybe, he’d really gotten through to her.


	2. Chapter 2

After that first night at Daryl’s place, Raelynn had to block Nick on her phone and all of her social media. Nick tried calling Daryl and it hadn’t gone his way at all. Daryl told him to fuck all the way off and die while he did it. Of course, he didn’t say it so Rae could hear him. The last thing he wanted was Rae to start dwelling on how she would feel if he really did kill himself. Daryl took her into work and picked her up because he just had a feeling that Nick would try something if he spotted her alone. Daryl drove her car so it wouldn’t be sitting in his driveway, unattended. He could keep an eye on it at the garage. 

Daryl took her out and bought her a few things to wear until Merle was back from his work assignment and could help Daryl get her stuff moved out. “Daryl, you know you don’t have to spend your money on me,” Rae tried to argue. He just gave her his signature scowl and told her to pick out some things or he would. “You’re too good to me, D. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” “You never have to know, sweetheart. Ain’t nothin’ too good for ya.” She stopped right there in the middle of the department store and kissed his cheek. Red crept up Daryl’s neck and the tips of his ears. “You’re a damn good man. I’m lucky to have you in my life.” He stood locked in place, gazing longingly at her and wishing he could just tell her. He wanted with all of his heart to proclaim his undying love right that very minute, but he faltered, just like he did every time before. “Why are you staring at me like that you big goof?” He snapped out of his lingering thoughts when he heard her laugh. “Sorry… I just… Never mind. Let’s go find you some clothes.” Raelynn followed behind him, thinking to herself that he was about to say something life-changing and she hoped that he would. Daryl had been her everything, except for a lover, for most of their life and she’d always loved him and could see more for the two of them, but he never made a move and she didn’t think he was interested in her that way. She married Nick because that one part was the thing that was missing from her life. She needed that kind of love and connection. But Nick had never been right for her. 

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Merle was home Friday night and they all met up to go over how they were going to handle getting Rae’s things from their apartment. They went to a restaurant where Merle was waiting on them and had already downed more than a couple of beers. “Bout time y’all got here,” he said as he stood to hug his brother and Rae. “How you doin’, Cupcake?” Merle had always called her Cupcake, and she guessed he always would. His blue eyes locked with hers to make sure that she was telling him the truth. “I’m ok. I actually feel free and I’m ready to get all of this behind me.” He offered her a genuine smile and kissed her forehead. “Glad to hear it. Maybe there’s somebody right under your nose that’s been pining away for ya for years.” Daryl shot Merle a warning glare. Merle always tiptoed on that fine line of telling her about Daryl’s feelings, but Daryl had to figure this shit out for himself. He and Daryl almost came to blows about it at Raelynn’s wedding when Merle told Daryl that if he didn’t tell her and put a stop to this nonsense wedding, then he would. He hated seeing Daryl twisted up the way he was, and he damn sure didn’t see anything good coming out of this Nick kid. 

Merle flagged down the waitress and everyone ordered a drink while they talked and looked over the menu. “So, you’re finally doin’ it?” Raelynn smiled and nodded. “I’m really doing it.” “Well, it’s about time and I’m damn proud of ya. What’s the plan?” Daryl told Merle that they wanted to get there early and get out as fast as they could. “Mostly, we just want him to keep his mouth shut and leave her alone.” Merle shook his head in agreement. “I can handle that. What all are we taking?” Raelynn started to answer, but Daryl beat her to it. “Just her clothes and stuff. She’s got some sentimental things that are coming, but the furniture can stay.” Rae shot him a disbelieving look. “But, I bought a lot of that furniture! Why should I leave it for him?” “Because Rae, you’re starting over. I don’t want you sitting on or using something that’s always gonna remind you of him.” She hadn’t thought of that and she supposed that he was right. “That makes sense, I guess.” She looked worried, scared, and sad all at once and Daryl understood that, even if she didn’t love the guy, they had a past, and letting go of an idea was sometimes hard. Merle noticed too. “It’s gonna be alright, Cookie. You got us and we’ll take good care of ya.” Raelynn refused to cry anymore. She was looking to the future and to being happy, so she blinked away the tears that were threatening and smiled. “I’m one hell of a lucky girl.”

“Well, now that ya finally got her away from the prick, when are you gonna profess your undyin’ love to her, baby brother?” Raelynn excused herself to go to the ladies' room and as soon as she was far enough away from the table, Merle hit Daryl with the big question. Daryl shrugged his shoulders. “Man, I don’t know. I almost told her when I took her shopping for some clothes. I don’t want to lay heavy shit on her while she’s dealing with this.” Merle had that disapproving look on his face that never failed to piss Daryl off. “You gonna pussy out till she gets married again?” “Fuck no! If that happened, I’d lose her forever. I… Just, what if she don’t feel the same way?” Merle tossed back his head and bellowed laughter. “Shit, boy! You blind as a bat or what? That girl’s been in love with you from day one!” “Then why in the hell did she marry Nick?” Merle shook his head like it was as simple as two plus two. “Because, you dipshit, you keep hidin’ your feelings for her, and she ain’t got any idea that you’re in love with her.” Merle had him there. There were a million times over the last ten years that he could have told her how he felt, but he’d always been too insecure, too afraid of getting hurt. 

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Daryl held her hand the whole way over to her apartment. Rae hadn’t slept at all the night before, he knew because she’d been in his bed. He tried holding her, but she was too full of nerves to sleep. She was afraid of how Nick was going to react when they got there. “Hey,” Daryl drawled. “You don’t listen to anything he says, you got me? You look at me, ok?” She let out a nervous breath and agreed. “C’mon. Let’s go get this done and I’ll take ya out on the bike later if ya want.”   
It started out pretty much as they expected it to. As soon as Daryl and Rae walked in, Nick started running off at the mouth. “Look who it is! My whore wife and her fuck boy!” Nick sneered from his spot on the couch. “You two have fun shackin’ up?” Nick didn’t know that Merle was standing just outside the door, allowing him to say just enough so that when he walked in, Nick would just about piss his pants with fear. Nick never worried about Daryl, even though he should have. Daryl was always protecting Raelynn from his venomous words. Merle, on the other hand, had knocked him on his ass more than once. “What’s wrong, Rae? Throat to sore from swallowing your fuck boy’s cock to talk to your husband?” Raelynn saw red and wanted to scream at him for talking about Daryl that way, but she knew Nick wasn’t worth her breath. When she and Daryl walked past him like he wasn’t even there, he called her a stupid bitch, and that’s when Merle came in. 

Merle strolled right over to the couch and put his hands on either side of Nick’s head, peering over his dark sunglasses at the loudmouth. “Listen here, boy. Here’s how this is gonna go. You’re gonna sit right here and you ain’t gonna so much as twitch. You’re gonna keep that trap of yours shut. We’re gonna get Cupcake all packed up and you ain’t gonna contact her for no reason. The next time ya see her will be in divorce court. You’re gonna agree to all the terms and let her go. Ya feel me?” Nick sat there like a bump on a log and gave a shaky nod. “Good. I hear one word outta ya, I’mma come in here and kick your ass.” Merle backed up a little and flipped the tip of Nick’s nose before walking off to help Daryl and Rae.

After many trips down to the truck and back, they were finally down to the last load of her things. They each had a box and they started out the door for the last time. “So, this is it? This is how you’re gonna leave me?” Nick was angry that he no longer had his primary source of income and maid and cook. He was going to have to grow up and take care of himself and he didn’t like it one bit. Raelynn looked at him incredulously. “Are you fucking serious right now? You’ve been openly cheating on me for God knows how long, and you’re asking if this is how I’m leaving you? I should throw your ass out of here. I should leave you with nothing. Be glad it’s going this way.” The trio headed for the door and Nick started his usual, “I’ll change, I’m sorry, I’ll get help” bullshit routine. “Fuck you, Nick. I gave you more chances than you ever deserved and all you did was use me. So fuck all the way off, and when you get there, keep fucking off.” Daryl grinned like a fool with pride. That was the Raelynn he knew. That right there was his girl. 

Raelynn came down from the rush of telling Nick off, and now her head was pounding as she sat in her new bedroom unpacking her things. Merle stayed for a little while to make sure that she was ok. She put on her bravest face and her best smile and made him believe that she was, but deep down, she was ashamed of herself. She felt like an idiot for allowing herself to be treated so badly. She had been a fool for putting up with the way that he used her. She listened to her music and wallowed in self-pity as she folded her clothes and put them away in Daryl’s old dresser. Her bed was his old bed where they used to sit and listen to all of their favorite songs. Her whole life with him was in this room. His old nightstand was next to the bed with the same lamp and warped rings from their sweaty soda cans. It even smelled the same as it did back then. Sometimes she couldn’t stand sleeping in here because it made her long for the days when things were simple and when she was braver. How would things be if she’d just told him how she felt?

Raelynn didn’t hear Daryl knocking on her open door. She was lost in her memories and her music. She shouldn’t be playing the song so loud, she knew. It was bad for her hearing and probably not the best idea with her headache, but noise never worsened them. Daryl listened to her quietly sing along to an old Audioslave song. It was her favorite. 

In your house I long to be;

Room by room patiently,

I'll wait for you there like a stone.

I'll wait for you there alone. 

“Hey,” he said, laying his hand on her arm. Raelynn popped out her earbuds and tried to smile like everything was ok, but he could see right through it. He always could. “C’mon. You’re done with this shit for the night.” He looked closely at her eyes. One of her migraine symptoms was that her left pupil would dilate and would be larger than the right one. “You got a migraine comin’ on, dontcha?” She didn’t have to answer, he knew. “C’mon. Let’s do your shot and I’ll take care of ya.” 

Raelynn had a terrible needle phobia. Unfortunately, none of the oral or nasal meds worked for her migraines. When she told Daryl that she was going to have to take the shots, he immediately started watching videos on how to do it. The medicine is in a pen and is really simple to do, but she couldn’t make herself do it. He had known from the jump that she wouldn’t be able to. The first time she needed one, Nick told her to get over it and do it herself. She called Daryl, crying her eyes out because her head hurt so much and Nick was being a dickhead about it. Daryl went right over and took care of her without a second thought, and had given her every injection since.

He had a way of doing it that helped her to not have so much anxiety. Rae would sit facing away from him and he would wrap his arm around the front of her shoulders so she could hide her face against his arm. He’d hold her arm still and talk to her about things they used to do. Of course, the medicine burned like fire sometimes, so he’d rub the back of her arm until the sting went away. 

“Ouch! Owww! Owww! Dammit!” Daryl dropped the auto-injector beside him and rubbed her arm with his warm palm. “I know. I’m sorry, sweetheart. You know I’d never hurt you, right?” She turned her head and the expression on his face took her breath away. “I know, Daryl. I know.”


	3. Chapter 3

In no time, Raelynn filed the divorce papers and was becoming more and more like her old self. She and Daryl quickly fell into a routine of domesticity. They went to work and when they came home at the end of the day, one would cook and the other would clean up afterward. Raelynn even started packing Daryl’s lunch for him. Sometimes, she would tuck a little note inside telling him what an awesome guy he was and he saved them all. 

Daryl was on the couch watching some show on TV and Raelynn came in fresh out of the shower. She stretched out and he pulled her feet onto his lap. They did this almost every night. “Daryl,” Rae said, nervously. “Hmm?” “When do you want me to move out?” His head snapped her direction and he looked almost angry, but it wasn’t anger, it was fear. He didn’t want her to go anywhere. “What?” That was the best response he could muster in his panicked confusion. “Well, I mean you said I could stay as long as I needed, but I don’t want to, you know, cramp your style or anything.” It took several tries before he could actually form real words. “What style are you thinkin’..? Rae, I want you here. If you want to stay here forever, I’d be hap- fine with that. Why do you think I want you to move? Do I make you feel that way?” She shifted around a little, obviously uncomfortable that she caused such a reaction. “You don’t. It’s just if you wanted to date somebody, they might not be comfortable with me living here.” 

Daryl sat there, completely dumbstruck that she thought he was trying to date. Hell, the last hookup he had was over two years ago after Raelynn’s wedding. He and Merle had gone out and gotten wasted. Some girl at the bar kept flirting and buying him more drinks. They ended up going to a cheap motel down the road from the bar and Daryl was gone before the sun came up. To him, his bedroom was a sacred place that he only shared with Raelynn. He wouldn’t have anyone else in his bed but her, even if they weren’t intimate. “I ain’t datin’ anybody, and I ain’t lookin’.” It’s you I want. Only you, he thought to himself. “Will you tell me if you want to? That way I can at least lay low and not blow it for you.” Now he was pissed. All of his feelings for her were right on the surface and if she didn’t stop with this shit, it was all going to come out. 

“I just told you I ain’t lookin’. Just drop it, ok?” “I’m sorry, D. I didn’t mean to make you mad.” Rae started to get up, but Daryl stopped her. “You didn’t make me mad. I like you being here. When I say that I don’t want you to go, I mean that.” Ain’t nobody for me but you. Never will be, his brain practically screamed. He held out his arm and wiggled her fingers for her to come closer. “Sorry for being a dick. I shouldn’t have snapped at ya.” She snuggled in and laid her head in the crook of his neck and pulled her feet up beside her. “You weren’t. It’s all good now, right?” “Yeah, there’s nothin’ to worry about.”

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Every year when the weather turned colder and the days were rainy more than they were sunny, Daryl always ended up with a cold. The garage was drafty and even with the large blast heater, there was always a chill in the building. It didn’t help that a lady with a little kid came in asking if someone could help her. Her car was broken down on the side of the road about a half-mile up from the shop and she needed to get the kid to the doctor. Axel put them in the breakroom and Daryl headed off to take a look. It was an easy enough fix, but there was no way to stay dry while he did it. He was still soaking wet when he got home from work. 

Rae was already home when he came in, looking like a wet, shivering mess. “Hey, D! How was your..?” She turned the burner to low and ushered him straight to the bathroom. “Get this wet stuff off.” She turned on the water in the shower and grabbed a few towels to throw in the dryer so they would be warm when he got out. She went to his room and grabbed him a pair of sleep pants and a hoodie and threw it in the dryer as well. “Yell when you’re finished and I’ll get your stuff out of the dryer,” she told him through the cracked door. He was too cold and achy to even argue. Rae took care of him as much as he took care of her. The time he had mono she was over every night to check on him and bring him dinner. 

Raelynn finished up dinner and went back to check on Daryl. “Hey, D, I’m putting warm towels and your clothes on the counter. Dinner is ready, so hurry up while it’s hot.” 

He emerged a few minutes later, looking pitiful still. She had a plate ready and waiting for him. “You don’t gotta do all this, Rae.” He didn’t want her to ever feel the way Nick did. She wasn’t there to be his cook and his maid, she was there because he wanted her to be happy. “I know. I want to,” she smiled. God, he loved her smile. It always lit up her whole face and it made his heart skip a beat. Every time. “Thank you for everything. It means a lot.” 

Three days later, Rae took the morning off from work and made Daryl call in for the day. She dragged him to the doctor because his cough was terrible and only getting worse. He fussed about it the whole way there, but there was a part of him that was thrilled that she cared so much to do this for him. She checked him in at the registration desk and laughed when she turned around to see him slouching in a chair with the surliest look on his face. “Daryl! Good lord! We’re just getting you some antibiotics so you’ll get better. Stop pouting.”

Daryl wasn’t any happier after. “Asshole gagged the hell out of me with that tongue depressor,” he griped. Sick Daryl was grumpy Daryl and Rae was well acquainted. “Let’s go get your prescriptions and I’ll get you some breakfast. Will that make it better?” Daryl side-eyed her and grumbled. “I want pancakes.” Rae laughed as Daryl pulled his seatbelt across his chest. “You’re such a toddler.” 

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Daryl felt rough that evening. He had bronchitis and being out in the cold, wet weather to go to the doctor only made his chest ache worse. Rae had chicken soup in the crockpot for dinner and he was lying on the couch, resting until she got home from work. 

Daryl was mindlessly flipping through the channels on cable to try to find something to watch. He noticed headlights cross the living room window and thought it was just Rae. A minute later, he heard heavy bootsteps clomping across the wooden porch, and then someone was pounding on the door.

“Hold on! Quit beatin’ on the door, asshole!” Daryl had no idea who was there, but he didn’t appreciate whoever it was his porch, disturbing his peace. As soon as he opened the door he caught a hard right hook just below his eye. Nick was drunk and hell-bent on getting revenge for his wife walking out on him. 

Daryl swung next, but he had no idea who he was fighting or why. Nothing made any sense, but fists were flying. Nick had the upper hand for a few minutes until Daryl was able to get his feet under him better and charge Nick out onto the porch. Under the glow of the porchlight, Daryl was finally able to see who he was fighting and unadulterated fury erupted within him. His predominating thought was, what if Raelynn had been home alone? What would Nick have done to her? Rage ripped through him until he saw black. He started swinging and punching anywhere he could get his fists to land. Nick was knocked onto his back by a hard blow to his nose. Blood poured and Nick was howling about it. 

“Shut up, bitch.” Daryl’s tone was low and threatening. He was pissed and he meant to end this right then and there Nick pulled himself up onto his knees, still doubled over and holding his nose. Daryl kicked him in the ribs with the heel of his bare foot, causing Nick to roll down the three stairs to the wet ground. 

When Raelynn pulled into the driveway, her first thought was that there was an animal of some sort in the yard. Daryl’s house was surrounded by woods, so they often had deer or coyotes passing through. It wasn’t until Daryl raised up with his fist drawn back that she understood what she was seeing. She bolted from her car and ran over to where Daryl and Nick were brawling. Daryl had Nick pinned down and was pounding his fist into his face with blind rage. Nick was swinging back, but his attempts were feeble. 

“What the fuck is going on?” Raelynn demanded. She ran from her car and slipped in the mud on her way to where the men were fighting. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed 911. She knew that whatever was happening was not started by Daryl. Daryl was not the type of person to start a fight, but he would damn well end it. 

Nick had a surge of anger and power when he heard Raelynn and all of that energy came through in a single hard blow to the side of Daryl’s jaw, knocking him onto the ground. Daryl was dazed and he couldn’t hear or see anything for a beat. The cold, torrential rain poured down over his face and blood flowed away with the raindrops. Just as he started coming back to his senses, he heard Raelynn scream bloody murder. He was on his feet and charging at Nick with the intent to kill. 

Nick had Raelynn by the hair and was dragging her towards his car when Daryl charged into him. Rae still somehow had her phone in her hand and the dispatcher could hear the melee happening, though Rae was unable to answer any of the questions she was being asked. She kept screaming for the dispatcher to send the cops. If Daryl killed Nick, she would lose him and she would not see that happen. 

“Daryl! Daryl! Listen to me!” She screamed so loudly that it hurt her throat. “You have to stop! The police are on the way!” She grabbed Daryl’s arm and he finally stopped. Rae. He’d heard her screaming. “Jesus, Rae! Are y’alright? Did he hurt you?” Daryl pushed her hair away from her face and looked her over. “I’m ok, D. Are you hurt?” He shook his head and pulled her into his arms. Nick was still on the ground, but he was moving around and she knew he was alive. 

They were still standing in the rain, Rae held tight in Daryl’s arms when the cops arrived. Daryl knew Rick and Shane very well. He serviced their patrol cars regularly and they had always gotten along well. Shane stopped and put Nick in handcuffs and stood with his boot on Nick’s ass to make sure he didn’t go anywhere. “Daryl?” Rick questioned as he approached. “Daryl, are you alright? What happened?” 

Daryl, Rick, Shane, and Raelynn moved to the porch once Tara arrived to take Nick in for booking. “Why don’t you let us call the medics out to just make sure you’re ok, Daryl?” This was the fourth time Rick or Shane had tried to get him to get checked out. “Nah. I’m alright.” He was coughing like crazy and Rae was worried about it. She got his inhaler that the doctor had given him earlier that morning. Daryl was so tired and so cold. All he wanted was for this night to be over so he could go to bed. He and Raelynn gave Rick and Shane their statements and watched as Nick’s car was towed away. “You’ll need to come to the station sometime tomorrow so we can get more pictures of your injuries.” Raelynn told Shane they would be there. “You guys try to get some rest. We’ll talk later.”


	4. Chapter 4

Come on,” Raelynn said gently. “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes and get you cleaned up.” They both were soaking wet and shivering, but Rae was only worried about taking care of Daryl for now. He was already sick with bronchitis and being out in the cold rain was sure to make it worse. She took a few steps toward the hall, but Daryl stood where he was. He was tired and he’d just noticed that the back of Rae’s hair was matted where Nick had grabbed her and he was pissed off all over again. “Come on, D. You’re gonna end up with pneumonia if we don’t get you out of those wet clothes.” 

“He ever hit you? Tell me the truth.” Daryl’s voice was low and raspy and his eyes were narrowed. Rae opened and closed her mouth a few times. She didn’t know how to tell him the truth. She didn’t need to say it. Daryl read it all over her face. “Why’d you stay?” Her chin dimpled and she closed her eyes. She never wanted Daryl to know about that horrible night. Nick came home drunk and stinking of his side piece’s nasty perfume. “It was my fault. I should have just let it go and talked to him the next day when he was sober, but I was pissed and he smelled like his…” Daryl stormed over to where she was standing and tilted his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear ya right. ‘Cause I know there ain’t no way you’re standing here telling me that you made him hit you.” She wrapped her arms around herself and hung her head in shame. “Daryl, please…” He shook his head in disbelief. “I used to think you were smarter than that. Why didn’t you tell me? Why’d you keep protecting him? Jesus, Rae!” Daryl was enraged all over again and started to walk past her. Raelynn reached out and grabbed his arm, but Daryl jerked away. “You know what? I’m done talkin’ about this tonight. You protected him and you loved him when I…” Daryl caught himself and stopped. This wasn’t the way he was going to tell her. 

“When what, Daryl?” He was already walking away and she saw the back of his head shaking in response. “Not doin’ this now. ‘M going to bed.” “Daryl. Please don’t walk away. Let’s talk this out.” His back was still to her when he got to his bedroom door. “Said I was done for the night.” Rae was furious that he would just cut her off like that and not finish what he was saying, let alone let her try to explain things to him. In a rare moment of weakness, Rae’s anger got the better of her and she let out a shriek of rage and punched the wall. 

“Goddammit!” she cried out, doubling over her throbbing fist. “Here, sweetheart. Let me see.” Daryl was already by her side and gently taking her hand in his so he could see what the damage was. “Come in here so I can see.” He walked them to the couch and switched on a lamp. “Can you move your fingers?” Her knuckles hurt like hell, but she could move her fingers and make a loose fist. “I don’t think ya broke anything.” She turned her head away from him and let her tears fall. “Hey, no, Raelynn. I’m sorry. I was a dick and you didn’t deserve that. Please don’t cry.” He pulled her into his arms even though she tried to resist him at first. “Shhhhh… I gotcha. I’m sorry, Rae.” 

“What were you going to say, Daryl? Just tell me.” He sat quietly, gently rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand. He couldn’t let her hand go and he couldn’t meet her gaze. “I don’t know if I can. I don’t know the right words, and…” He was breathing a little harder and he lowered his head even more. Tears stung his eyes and his heart pounded in his chest. He had wanted to tell her how he felt for so long, and now that the opportunity was laid out at his feet, he was terrified. 

“And, what?” Rae felt the slight tremble of his hands and she didn’t think that it was all from the chill. “You can tell me. I want you to.” His shoulders hitched with a sob that he desperately tried to hold back. “You’ve been so important to me for so long, Rae. I can’t ever not have you in my life. I can’t lose you.” Raelynn turned sideways on the couch and grabbed his other hand. “Daryl, you’re never going to lose me. Not ever.” He furiously chewed his bottom lip and Rae was a little afraid he’d chew a hole through it. “You’ve always been the one thing in my life that’s good. You know me better than anyone. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” He swallowed hard and tried to keep tears from falling, but they slipped from his closed eyes. Rae wiped them away and held her hand against his cheek. “I… Rae, I…” It was right there on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn’t make the words come out. “

He opened his mouth to try to purge himself of the words he’d carried around in his heart for so long, but then Rae slung her leg over his and she was straddling him. Her hands were on either side of his face, forcing him to look at her. “I’m in love with you, Daryl. I’ve been in love with you and I think you feel the same way.” If his trepidation hadn’t been enough to keep his words locked in his throat, her stunning confession was. He stared into her eyes and knew that, without a doubt, she was telling him the truth. He cupped her jaw with his hand and stroked his thumb across her cheek. “Rae,” he whispered. “Say it, Daryl. Tell me that you’re in love with me.” “I love you. God, I love you so much.” She crashed her lips to his and his hands were in her hair, pulling her closer. 

Rae wasn’t about to waste another minute. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, then she took off her own top. Daryl ran his fingers along her ribs and pulled her back in to kiss her. His lip was split and it ached something dreadful, but there was no way that he was going to stop. From her lips and down her neck, he claimed every inch of skin he could get his lips on. Rae’s hands trailed across the expanse of his shoulders and over the muscles of his arms. His breath caught when he felt her palm his hard dick through the wet fabric of his sleep pants. “Stand up,” he breathed into her ear. She rose from his lap, kissing him until she was solidly on his feet. Daryl scooted to the edge of the couch and hooked his fingers into the waistband of her leggings. “You sure?” He had to ask because once this happened, there was no going back. Not ever. Rae was biting her bottom lip, savoring the taste of his kiss that lingered there. “I’m sure.” He stripped her of her remaining wet clothing. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful, Rae.” She leaned over him and grabbed his waistband. “Lift up.” Their faces were pressed together as she tugged off his pants. “We should go to my bedroom,” he suggested, but Raelynn shook her head. “No. Right here.” 

She climbed back onto his lap and Daryl shoved his face into her neck and his lips and teeth and tongue were all over her until he was up to her lips. No kiss had ever felt the way his did. Her hand was cold and when she gripped his cock and it caused him to hiss. The sight of her rising up on her knees and the way the soft flesh of her waist felt in his hands was all he’d ever dreamed of. She moaned as she slowly rubbed herself over the thick head of his dick. Daryl intently watched her face and the grip he had on her tightened when she eased him inside. “I’ll love you forever, sweetheart.” She sank down onto his length and they both moaned together at how amazing and wonderful it was. Raelynn laid her forehead against his and looked into his eyes. “I’ll love you forever, Daryl.” She slowly began to move and they held onto one another as though they might float away if they lessened their grip. “Tell me you’re mine,” Daryl pleaded. “Only yours, baby. Only yours.” His moan shuddered and he pulled her closer, moving with her. 

Raelynn wound her fingers into his hair and pulled his head back, giving her access to his neck. She had always wondered what kissing it would be like, what kinds of sounds he would make for her. She licked all the way up, feeling the bulge of his Adam’s apple. She kissed over to his ear and worked her way down, biting here and there as she went. “Don’t stop, darlin’. Feels so good.” His eyes were closed and she could feel his breath on her. He cupped her breasts and traced his thumbs around her hard nipples, causing her to moan even more while she sucked his neck.

“Daryl,” Rae moaned. “That’s it, sweetheart. Say my name again.” Rae sat back, sliding up his length and looking at his beautiful eyes. “Daryl, oh God, Daryl.” Her voice was hushed and breathless. “I love you, I love you, I love you. “ Daryl moaned and his voice cracked. “Oh, Raelynn. My girl.” “Your girl,” she nodded. “I love you, Rae.” He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the cushion and he watched her body rise and fall in front of him and it was too much and not enough all at once. She was always the thing that consumed him in all ways. He felt like he was burning alive. He was a slave to her. She owned his heart and that was just a fact. 

He moved his hands down to her hips and moved with her. Rae’s head dropped back onto her shoulders and she let loose a shuddering cry. “That’s the way, sweetheart. Let yourself go.” She grabbed his forearms and her nails dug into his skin. She’d never felt secure enough to give herself over so completely. “Let go, baby. I got you.” Daryl watched the physical and amazing way she responded to him. “Don’t gotta ever be afraid with me, Rae. Let go, baby girl.” He moved her body for her now. Nothing had ever felt as powerful as what she felt and she had no choice but to allow it to take her. “That’s it. That’s my girl. My beautiful girl.” The feeling of suddenly falling, being set free to fly burned through her and she came apart in Daryl’s loving arms. 

“Don’t hold back, sweetheart. Let it all go. I want it all, baby girl.” Daryl was right on the threshold of his own release, but he wanted this moment to last a lifetime. He’d waited for this for so long and it was all he’d ever hoped and dreamed it would be. “So fuckin’ beautiful, Rae.” “Only yours, only yours,” she sighed. He pulled her against him and held her as tight as he could, taking in the feel of her giving herself to him completely, and he was done. He pulled her into his last, hard thrust and sighed her name as he came deep inside of her. He knew that he would never know love or this kind of feeling with anyone else, she was it for him. She was his and he was hers. “I love you, Daryl. Let it all go, baby. I got you.” Tears fell from his closed eyes as every emotion came crashing down on him as if the sky had fallen upon him. Rae held his face in her hands and chanted that she loved him. Now that she’d said it, she found that she just couldn’t stop. She had years of holding back to make up for, and Daryl was going to know every minute for the rest of their lives that she loved him completely. 

The room was dark and quiet except for the sound of Daryl and Raelynn’s breathing. “I swear to God that I’ll never hurt you, Rae. I’ll be good to you, sweetheart. I’ll love you for the rest of my life.” She laid her cheek against his. “I’ll love you forever. I’ll be good to you and I’ll do my best to make you happy every day.” He kissed his way to her lips and smiled. “I’m never letting you go.” Rae smiled back. “You better not, ‘cause I’m not letting you go, either.”


	5. Chapter 5

Daryl was laying on his belly with one arm wrapped around his pillow and tucked under his head, and his other arm was thrown over Raelynn’s waist. Somehow, they made it from the couch to the bed and went another couple of rounds before Daryl collapsed with exhaustion. Raelynn was too keyed up to sleep. She never felt this kind of happiness and she could hardly contain it. 

She turned over on her side and watched him sleeping. His poor nose was stuffy and caused him to snore. Nevertheless, he looked peaceful and content and that was all she could ask for. Rae watched him for a long time, running her fingers through his hair and rubbing his back. She’d loved him since they were in high school. The days when they would hop on his bike and race to his house to flop on his bed and listen to loud music before anyone else got home were some of her favorite days. Sometimes, she would wear her bikini under her clothes and they would sneak out of school before last period and go to the river to swim before anyone else showed up. Rae finally fell asleep with those sweet memories drifting through her mind.

The next thing she was aware of was the obscene amount of daylight coming through the bedroom window. It was still raining, why was it so bright? Daryl was still on his stomach and still snoring a little. He must have gotten hot at some point because the blankets were only covering from the knee down on one of his legs. His cute little ass was right there for her to admire. Rae snuggled against him and started running her nails up and down his back and over the curve of his butt. “Is this how I’m gonna get to wake up from now on?” he grinned. She smiled back and kissed him. “Mmm-hmm. For as long as you’ll have me.” He crawled over the top of her, kissing her. “I want you for the rest of my life, darlin’. I meant it when I said I ain’t never lettin’ you go.” She moaned into his shoulder. “I love you, Daryl. I’m yours for the rest of our lives.” 

Things were just getting really heated when someone started pounding on the front door. “Dammit,” Daryl groused. He bitched under his breath the whole time he was pulling on his jeans. “Open the door, baby brother! I know you’re in there!” Raelynn let out a frustrated groan as she started to get dressed. She knew that Merle would have a lot of questions if he was there that early on a workday. Merle continued to hammer on the door & bellow for somebody to let him in. “Hold your damn horses! I’m gettin’ there!” Daryl yelled as soon as he got to the living room. 

“What in the blue fuck happened last night, and why the fuck didn’t ya call me?” Merle demanded, stomping through the door. “Mornin’ to you, too, brother.” Daryl was only now beginning to feel the pain from the brawl the night before. “Ain’t even got any coffee made yet,” Merle complained. Rae came out of the bedroom and went straight to the kitchen to make coffee. “Mornin’, Cupcake.” Merle’s tone softened and he kissed her cheek as she passed. “How’re you doin’?” “I’m ok. I’m just glad that Daryl’s ok and Nick is in jail.” Merle went over and sat across from Daryl, leaning on his elbows that were resting on his knees. “Word around town is that prick came over here last night and got his ass beat.” Daryl looked at him quizzically. “Word around town?” “Hell yeah, baby brother. I stopped by the garage and Axel told me that you was off for the rest of the week, sick, and then he told me that Nick showed up here last night and left in handcuffs.” Daryl let out an exasperated sigh and ran his hands through his hair. “Shit. Axel knows?” Merle rolled his eyes. “I just told ya that, dummy. He ain’t mad or nothin’. Said that Nick started it all and you had to defend yourself.”

Raelynn brought everyone a cup of coffee and Daryl began telling Merle about how everything went down the previous evening. Rae could only look at her coffee mug, especially when he told Merle about seeing Nick dragging her through the yard by her hair. “He hurt you, honey?” “I’m ok. It’s over and I just want to move on,” Rae responded quietly. Daryl would tell Merle about Nick hitting her before some other time. Right now, all that mattered was that he and Rae were safe and Nick was cooling off in a cell. “After all that, not one of ya thought to call me? That maybe I might wanna know you were ok.” Rae tried to hide her smirk but failed terribly. “What? ‘S there somethin’ else I need to know about?” 

“She knows,” Daryl stated, simply. Merle looked confused and glanced from Daryl to Rae and back. “You mean, she knows? You finally grew a pair and told her?” Daryl glowered at his brother but nodded. “Actually, if you must know, she told me first, but, yeah.” Merle was smiling like a fool. “Well, I’ll be damned! It’s about time! So what does this mean?” Rae couldn’t resist. Merle left himself wide open. “We were catching up on some lost time,” she grinned. Because it came from Raelynn, it took Merle a beat to catch on to what she was telling him. “Oh… OH! Damn, girl!” Merle’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red and Rae could help but laugh at him. “Well, you wanted to know why no one called you. We were busy,” she shrugged. 

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“Daryl?” Rae said softly. He turned his eyes up to her and ran his fingers over her face. “Hmm?” “When did you know that you were in love with me?” He closed his eyes and smiled, thinking back on that warm spring day. School was almost out for the summer and Daryl had a job lined up working part-time at a Dale’s Bait and Tackle and Raelynn was already working at the ice cream shop. He picked her up that morning, but they weren’t going to school. They decided that they were going to the secret spot out on the lake to smoke a little weed and spend the day laying in the sun and swimming. Most of their teachers had already collected their textbooks and all of their final exams had been taken. The only reason they still had to go to school was to fulfill the required days. 

Raelynn’s parents were in the middle of a nasty divorce and they were too involved in fighting with one another about everything to notice if Rae was around or not. Daryl’s mother had died of breast cancer the year before and his dad was losing himself in a bottle more often than not. Daryl and Rae took care of one another through it all. Merle was there, too, of course, but he was working most of the time. That was the way that Merle dealt with things. He threw himself into whatever new endeavor he was fascinated with at the time and worked at it until something more interesting came along. It might have been a rough time for them, but it was also the best time. Daryl and Rae were seldom apart and neither of them would have it any other way.

Daryl drove them down the bumpy dirt road that led down to the little cove that was their own personal heaven. It was well hidden from the main road and completely surrounded by forest. There was a large clearing at the water’s edge where they had a couple of lawn chairs and Daryl even dug out a spot that they used for a firepit. Every now and then, the two of them would come here and camp out just to get away from everything. It was perfect. 

They made their way down the path, Rae carrying their bag that she kept packed for them, and Daryl carrying the cooler. “This is just what we needed, D.” He put the cooler down in the shade and unfolded their chairs. He really tried not to stare, or at least not make it obvious that he was, while Rae shimmied out of her short cutoff jean shorts and peeled off her t-shirt. She was petite and slender, but she had beautiful natural curves that balanced her out perfectly. She was wearing that little black bikini with the strings that he liked so much. He was seventeen and he couldn’t help that he liked the way it barely covered her breasts and that the only thing keeping either piece on was those little strings. She only wore it when she was with him, though. If they went to the public pool, or even to the river where most of the kids from school went, she wore a one-piece that was more modest. 

She popped her sunglasses back on and spread out their towels in each of their chairs before sitting down to enjoy the breeze coming off of the water. “Wanna smoke first?” Daryl asked even though he knew she did. She loved getting high and then floating on her back in the warm lake. “Roll it up!” 

They stayed until it started getting dark and they both were starving for real food. All of the snacks they brought were long since gone. They were just about packed up and ready to head to the truck when Raelynn stopped in front of Daryl. She stared into his pale blue eyes and put her hand on his cheek. A flood of heat went from where her hand rested to the pit of his stomach. Lower even. “I’ll never have any more perfect days than the ones I have with you, D.” She kissed the opposite cheek and then turned and headed to the path. Daryl stood where he was, unable to move for a minute. He’d had some conflicting emotions where she was concerned, but he was reasonable and rational and he always chalked it up to just being a teenager with a teenager’s hormones. But at that moment, Daryl knew that he loved her more than just as a friend.

Raelynn lay there, smiling as she remembered every detail of that day. “Do you ever wish that we could go back in time? Maybe go back so we could tell each other sooner?” Daryl thought about it for a minute and shook his head. “Nah. We waited till it was the right time. I mean, maybe this takes all the pressure off, ya know? We already know each other better than a lot of people who’ve been married for a long time. Things have a way of comin’ together when they’re supposed to. It mighta took us a long time to get here, but I think it means that it’ll be that much better.” 

“Daryl,” she sobbed. He cupped his hand on the back of her head and pulled her against his chest. “I love you, Raelynn. I promise that I will for the rest of my life. I promise to keep takin’ care of you and doing everything I can to make you happy.” Raelynn smiled through her tears. The feeling of peace and happiness that she felt in her heart was what people searched for their whole lives. It was right here in her arms and nothing would ever take that away from her. 

“Look, I know that we just told each other how we felt and that you’re still technically married, but I want to marry you as soon as we can. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to make babies and build onto the house, or maybe even find a different one. I want us to have what we were supposed to have all along.” She pulled him in and kissed him hard. “I’ll marry you, give you as many babies as you want, I’ll give you everything.” It all came out of her between kisses and getting him out of his shirt. “I love you, Daryl, and I can’t stop saying it.” He held the back of her head and pressed his lips to her soft neck. “Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop saying it, Rae. I couldn’t take it if you did.” “I promise, baby. I’ll never stop,” she whispered into his ear.

Daryl got as far as getting her leggings and underwear off of one leg and his jeans and boxers down to his knees and her shirt pushed up. He finally was getting to know what she liked and he couldn’t get enough of it. The way she responded to his touch was everything he had ever dreamed of. Her head was thrown back and her soft moans were his sweet reward for his patience. He moved his middle finger in and out of her, slowly, while circling her clit with his thumb. Daryl ran his tongue from the underside of her breast to her nipple and pulled it into his mouth to gently suckle. He was granite-hard and pressed against her thigh, just out of her reach. This was all for her right now. “Please, Daryl… I need you, baby.” “Shhhhh… I wanna do somethin’ first.”

He kissed his way along her ribs and the flat of her belly, grabbing the remaining bits of her clothing and pulling them down as he went. He pushed her legs apart and placed hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses along the insides of each of her thighs. He rubbed his hand up and down her smooth lips, parting her with his fingers. Raelynn closed her eyes and gave herself over to every sensation. He ran the flat of his tongue from the bottom to the top in long, languid strokes. He took his time, pulling every moan and plea from her that he could get. She reached for his hand and put it on her breast and Daryl loved that she was unafraid to show him just what she wanted already. 

“Oh my God,” she sighed. “Right there. Don’t stop, baby.” She was on the cusp and he knew it. He kept doing just what he was doing, not speeding anything up, not adding more friction, just slowly bringing her right to the precipice. She moved her hips against his face, as the feeling of her impending climax grew more intense. Daryl swirled his tongue in slow, easy circles around her clit until she arched off of the bed and she was clawing at the sheets. 

Before she had a second to even come down from her high, Daryl was climbing over the top of her. He kissed her hot and dirty, and she could taste herself on his tongue. She was trembling still, but Daryl wasn’t going to waste another second. He felt her walls still contracting as he eased inside of her. “Jesus, Rae. You feel so fuckin’ good.” He might have been in a hurry to get inside her, but now that he was here, he was going to take it nice and slow. 

After all the years of pining away for her, she was finally his and he was going to savor every moment they had. “Oh God, Daryl!” she cried, raking her nails up his back. “Raelynn… Oh, sweetheart.” He pulled almost all the way out of her and slid back in slow and easy, over and over again as he watched her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was opened as she moaned and called out his name. “Please, Daryl. Please, oh, Jesus, please!” “Tell me what you need, baby. I’ll give you anything.” “Faster. I want you to cum with me, baby.” Daryl laid his cheek against hers and breathed hard as he steadily increased his pace. They cried out to each other and held the other as tightly as possible. “Daryl!” Rae’s grip on his shoulders was hard enough to leave bruises but nothing had ever felt so good. “Come on, baby girl. I’m close, too.” Their skin was slick with sweat and Rae arched closer to him by the second until her head snapped back and her breath caught in her throat. “That’s it, darlin’. Cum hard for me.” He felt her spasming beneath him and the familiar tightening feeling in his balls. “Fuckin’ hell… Yes, baby girl! Fuck yes!” Daryl roared into her ear like an angry animal and caused her pussy to clamp down on his dick even harder than it already was. 

“Open your eyes and look at me, beautiful.” Daryl finally caught his breath after a frightening few moments when he thought his heart was going to burst from racing so fast. Rae was sleepy-eyed and completely sated as she grinned up at him. “I love you. Don’t ever doubt that for a minute.” She placed a shaky hand to his cheek and he kissed the bottom of her thumb. “I love you, too, D. Nothing will ever make me stop.”


	6. Chapter 6

“You’re so pretty, Daryl,” Raelynn slurred. She and Daryl met up with Merle at one of their haunts for a few drinks and she ended up getting more than a little sloppy. Daryl had his arm around her as he helped her to the door. He laughed and shook his head. “Jesus, girl.” He got them inside and took Rae’s jacket off and hung it on the rack by the door. “You really are, ya know?” She stumbled and fell right up against his chest. “Easy, darlin’.” She was looking at him with hungry eyes and licking her lips like she wanted a taste. “What?” Daryl asked, amused. “I always thought you were fuckin’ hot. My panties always got wet whenever you took off your shirt.” They stood there pressed against the door while the heat intensified by the second. “Anything else you wanna confess?” Daryl asked, rubbing his nose against hers. “I used to strain my eyes trying to see your dick. Well, at least get an idea of what you had.” He moved in even closer, his lips were just touching hers. “Now that you’ve had it, what do you think?” She raised up on her tiptoes and took his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled it gently. “I think I missed out for too long.” 

He pushed her hair off of her shoulder and kissed the side of her neck and over to her ear. “You holdin’ back any more secrets?” She allowed her head to fall back and surrendered over to the dizzy feeling from his lips and hot breath and the effects of the alcohol in her system. “I always thought of you when I touched myself.” Her inhibitions were completely gone and Daryl loved it. “Oh, yeah? What was I doing that made you so wet?” He whispered his question as his lips brushed against her flesh, lighting her on fire. His hand grazed down her body over the fuzzy, pink sweater dress she was wearing. “Tell me, sweetheart. What’d I do for you?” 

She held his head while he explored every inch of skin he could get his mouth on. Even though she was still buzzing hard, she was more than a little shy to tell him what it was that she still fantasized about. He gripped her waist and pulled her against him, grinding his hard cock into her. “Tell me and I’ll do it for you.” She let out a whimpering moan and pulled him over to the couch.

“Take off your clothes,” she commanded, breathlessly. The corner of his mouth turned up in an evil grin. “What the girl wants, the girl gets.” He reached behind his neck and pulled his shirt over his head, dropping it to the floor. Raelynn’s heart raced as she watched his beautifully defined muscles ripple with his movements. It was just how she always saw it in her mind. He knelt down and unlaced his boots, removing them and his socks. When he stood up, he stared into her eyes and unbuckled his belt. Rae bit her lip and moaned. “How am I doin’ so far?” That evil grin was still on his face and he was loving the reaction he was getting from her. “Perfect. Keep going, baby.” 

He stood directly in front of her, stripped bare and aching for her. “Just how I always pictured it,” Rae rasped. “You’re so beautiful, Daryl. I love looking at you.” He looked at her with hooded eyes. His dick was throbbing and he was burning for relief. “Touch yourself, baby. I want you to make yourself cum and I want it all over my tits.” A weak pitched moan came out and surprised him as much as her fantasy. He gripped his hard cock in his right hand and started stroking himself slow and steady. “Fuck, Daryl. This is so hot.” She eased forward on the couch and pulled her dress off. She was a sight to see sitting there in her lacy bra and panties and those black suede thigh-high boots with the pointy heels that Daryl couldn’t get enough of. “Goddamn, sweetheart. You look good enough to eat. Take your panties off and show me whatcha got for me.” 

He stopped her when she started to take off her boots. “Leave ‘em. Just the panties.” She quirked an eyebrow and gave him a naughty little grin. “Keep doing what you’re doing, baby. Watching you is sexy as fuck.” She sat back on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table, spreading her legs wide for him. “Fuck, that’s perfect, sweetheart. Touch yourself like you do when I’m doing this in your fantasies.” 

Raelynn zeroed her eyes on his hand stroking his perfect dick. He was moaning just the way she liked to hear. This was her fantasy and he wanted it to play out just the way she wanted. “Tell me how you want me to do it, sweetheart. Tell me how to make it all come true for you.” Rae alternated between rubbing her fingers in circles on her clit and slipping one inside herself. She gave herself over to it. Living out something she’d dreamed of for so long was one of the most intense experiences of her life. “Do it faster, Daryl. Cum with me. Do it just like that, baby.” She moved one of her legs from the coffee table and asked him to come closer. He was standing over her, between her legs, watching her work her fingers on her clit and it just about did him in. 

She reached up with her free hand and pulled the cups of her bra under her breasts, taking a minute to tease her own nipples. Daryl never thought that watching her touch herself would easily be one of the most erotic things he’d ever seen, but here they were. “Keep going, baby girl. I’m almost there.” “Mmmmm… Yeah. I want it, baby.” He leaned over her and held onto the back of the couch, staring into her eyes. “I’m gonna cum, Rae,” he moaned. “Me too, baby.” She looked up at his face and watched his eyes roll back and close and when she felt his cum on her chest, she was done. She writhed and shuddered under him, moaning his name.

Later, after they showered together they laid in their big, warm bed smiling and happy. “I’m glad you told me about your fantasy.” Rae laughed and covered her face with her hand. Daryl pulled it away and made her look at him. “Don’t be shy or afraid to tell me anything, sweetheart. I’ll do my best to give you anything you want.” She rubbed her hand over his cheek and into his hair. “Only if you promise me the same thing. I want to know the things that you want and the things you want to try. Not just sex stuff, I want to know everything.” He kissed her forehead and promised. Rae snuggled her head against his shoulder. “Sweet dreams, darlin’. I love you.”


	7. Chapter 7

It was a cold, clear night and the stars were as bright as Raelynn could ever remember them being. Daryl surprised her when he came home from work. It was Friday night, and there was a meteor shower. Rae threw on some extra layers and Daryl packed up a bunch of blankets and pillows for them to lay on. Raelynn spotted a bag of marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers in the middle of the bench seat of Daryl’s truck. “Can’t have a fire without s’mores,” Daryl grinned. “‘Sides, I know they’re your favorite.” 

Daryl drove them up the old dirt road they’d traveled so many times. The winding road took them to the top of a mountain far enough away from the city lights to see the meteor shower. The last couple of months had taken them on a roller coaster of emotions, but things were definitely happy now. Nick had dragged his feet on signing the divorce papers, but he’d finally come around and signed them. She and Daryl went out to dinner to celebrate that night. According to her attorney, this could all be done in as little as thirty days depending on how quickly her case was brought before the judge. She and Daryl felt like a weight had been lifted.

Daryl built a fire while Rae situated the blankets in the bed of the truck. This was just the sort of thing that they used to do before life got complicated. Daryl climbed up in the back of the truck and sat against the back of the bed. “C’mere, beautiful.” Rae settled between his legs and leaned back into his arms. “This is perfect, D,” she sighed. “It sure is, sweetheart.” Daryl wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm and kissed the side of her ear. 

They talked and watched the stars for hours. Daryl pointed out the constellations because she liked the way he told her about each one. He could tell her the legends a million times, and she’d ask for a million more. He had a way of telling a story that made you want to hear it. For hours, it was just the two of them and all the stars in the sky. “Hey, sweetheart,” Daryl said, quietly. When she turned her head to look at him, he laid his hand on her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss. It was sweet and gentle and he took his time. “I’m madly in love with you, Raelynn. He kissed her again, leaving her breathless. When he pulled away moments later, her eyes were still closed and her lips were puffy. “Be right back,” he said as he shifted to get up. “Where’re you going?” Rae asked, dreamily. “Promised my girl a s’more,” he replied with a wink.

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Daryl kissed all over the back of Rae’s neck as he took off her coat when they got home. “In case you were wondering, date night ain’t over.” Raelynn grinned from ear to ear. This was the kind of love that novels were written about and it was all hers. She felt like the luckiest girl in the world to not just be in love, but to be in love with the best friend she’d ever had. “C’mon, sweetheart. I want to lay you out on our bed and make you feel good.” He wrapped his arms around her small waist and walked behind her, kissing and nibbling her neck all the way there. 

Daryl stripped her of her clothing, kissing her all over as slow as molasses on a cold day. Any part of her that he didn’t have his lips on, his hands were. “Lay down on the bed for me. I got an idea,” he whispered in her ear. The tiny hairs on her arms stood on end as a chill rushed through her. She crawled onto the bed and laid back, her long blonde hair fanned out around her shoulders. “God, I love looking at you.” Daryl eased over the top of her, pressing his lips against hers. “I wanna play a little.” He had a wicked little glimmer in his eyes that made Rae giggle. “Get your vibrator.” “Daryl!” she shrieked. He cocked his head to the side and looked down at her. “I know you have one. I saw it when we moved you. Don’t be shy about your toy. You told me all about how you thought about me when you touch yourself. I didn’t think that you always did it by hand.” He had her there. “Fair point, but I thought that toys were supposed to be secret.” Daryl sat back on his knees, shaking his head. “Jesus, sweetheart. You ain’t never had a real man show you how much fun they can be, have you?” “No. Nick got pissed when he found it.” “That’s because he’s an insecure piece of shit. Let’s not talk about him, though. Be a good girl and get your toy and I’ll show you how good it can be.”

Daryl grabbed the lube from his nightstand while Raelynn got her Hitachi wand from hers and plugged it in. Daryl stripped off his shirt and knelt beside her in just his jeans. He rubbed his hand down the center of her chest to her belly. “Reach up and hold onto the headboard.” Rae looked at him with wide eyes and did as he instructed. “Just relax, baby. You’ll like this, I promise.” He pressed his thumb on the power button and a humming sound filled the room. He pressed the other button to increase the speed. He moved the toy over her right nipple, while he circled his tongue and sucked on her other one. She let out a tiny, weak whimper. “You like?” “Yes,” she nodded.

He took his time and moved from one nipple to the other with his mouth and the vibrator. It felt like he spent hours teasing her breasts and Raelynn felt like her body was on fire. She arched her back into every pass of his tongue and mewled like a kitten at the way it made her feel. He turned off the wand and laid it aside. He laid hot, open-mouthed kisses over her ribs and down her belly. He looked through his lashes and watched her face as he kissed from one hip over to the other. He slowly eased further down, kissing and sucking her supple flesh all the way to her ankle and then all the way back up her left leg. 

Raelynn held the headboard so tight that her knuckles were white. Her eyes rolled back and closed. She was breathing hard and moaning. The way his hot mouth felt, the way that his facial hair bristled against her skin, and the way his hands were all over her the whole time made her feel dizzy. She heard the hum of her vibrator and felt it traveling the same path his lips just were. The multiple sensations were overwhelming and amazing all at once. “Oh, Daryl… Baby…” 

“Keep your eyes closed and just feel me. Feel me touching you.” He slowly dragged his bottom lip against her inner thigh, edging closer and closer to where she wanted to feel him most. “Just let your body relax and feel me.” His warm hand pressed against her labia and he rubbed his thumb from the bottom of her slit to the top, parting her. “That’s my girl. Let your legs relax and fall open a little more for me.” Rae let out a soft moan and allowed her legs to fall all the way against the mattress. “Good girl,” Daryl purred. His voice was smoky and gravelly and it was burning her right up. 

Daryl rubbed her pussy all over with his fingers while he continued the slow trek up her thigh with the vibrator. He parted her, making her clit pop out for him. He dipped his head down and licked her with the flat of his tongue from bottom to top. Raelynn cried out and her hands went straight to his head, grabbing his hair with both of her fists. “Mmmmm… S’posed to be holdin’ the headboard,” He rolled his tongue around her bundle of nerves. Rae thrust her hips against his face for more friction. “Shhhhh... Easy, baby. This is all about taking our time.” He kissed her pussy between each of his words. He sat back on his knees and watched her chest rise and fall with her hard breaths. “Grab the headboard again for me.”

Daryl pressed the vibrator against her clit and she nearly came off the bed. “Easy, sweetheart. Just relax and feel. I want you to let your whole body feel everything.” Raelynn’s body was in touch overload already. She began to writhe around and Daryl had to put his hand on her belly to keep her still. He hooked her left leg over his shoulder and lost his focus on taking things slow.

She felt his fingers slide inside of her. His knuckles were pressed against her, hard. He curled his fingers against her G-spot and rose up on his knees. “I’m gonna make you cum hard, baby. You ready for that?’ Raelynn was helpless to him. She whimpered and nodded. Whatever he wanted to give her, she wanted every little bit of it. Daryl started rocking his hand, fingers pressing against that magic spot inside of her while his palm rubbed over her clit. Raelynn moaned out loud and her eyes flew open. She’d never felt anything as intense as this. Nick had never been a generous lover. It was always about him getting off. She could count on both hands how many times he’d gone down on her. Daryl was an animal. He didn’t just make sure that she got off, he went at it like it was his life’s mission. 

“That’s it, sweetheart. You know what I want. You gonna give it to me?” Rae cried out a long and pleading “yes” and the sound of it hit him right in his balls. “Fuck, Rae… You sound so damn sexy right now.” He sped up the movement of his hand and she dug her free heel into the mattress and her back arched off the bed. “Good girl. Let yourself feel it, baby.” 

Raelynn ripped at the sheets and her head snapped back as far as it would go into the pillow. “Oh my God, oh my God, Oh my God, FUCK! Fuck, fuck, fuck, Daryl!” The muscles in both of her legs began to tremble and she was screaming his name and it was beautiful. “That’s my good girl. So fuckin’ perfect,” Daryl soothed. 

As soon as his fingers were no longer inside of her, she was on him, ripping and tearing at his jeans to get them off. “Now Daryl. I need you right now.” He’d ignited something in her that neither of them knew existed and he was here for it. She pushed him onto his back and tugged his pants and underwear down his thighs, just out of the way. She climbed onto him and slid down his dick before he knew it. She planted her hands on his chest and started rolling her hips. “Oh, fuck me, Raelynn. That’s so good.” Daryl grabbed her hips and started thrusting into her. Her brow peaked and she dug her nails into his chest. “Jesus Daryl! I’m… Oh, fuck…” In a matter of only moments, Raelynn had a second orgasm. Her whole body tensed and her mouth was open, but no sound was coming out. “That’s it, sweetheart. Let it all go.” She started to fall over and Daryl eased her onto her side. 

“I’ve gotcha, sweet girl.” He kept one arm wrapped around her and he hooked her leg over his forearm. His chest pressed against her back and he thrust in and out of her in long, slow strokes, making love to her as she rode out wave after wave of exquisite bliss. “Raelynn… Jesus, honey…” Daryl squeezed her tight and held her as they both jolted with aftershocks.

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“Daryl?” Rae said quietly. He was next to her and she’d been watching him, memorizing the outline of his face. The way the tip of his nose rounded, the way his lips were always parted just a tiny bit when he was almost asleep, the definition of his chin under his trimmed goatee. He was perfect. 

“Mmmm,” was his sleepy response. He felt her soft fingertips glide up and down his chest. Most nights, Rae got to sleep by rubbing her fingers back-and-forth in the little patch of hair on his chest. She always snuggled into his side with her head on his shoulder and one leg was thrown over his. It occurred to him that they have a routine now, and it felt good.

“Thank you for a perfect date night. I always loved it when you took me to that spot and you would tell me about the constellations. All of my best memories are with you. I couldn’t be happier that we get to make more memories together in a different way now.”

Daryl kissed the top of her head and lingered to smell her hair. He’d always loved the way she smelled. “Me too, sweetheart. You gave me all of my happiest ones. Nobody was ever there for me, or cared the way you did.” 

Daryl’s words were starting to become heavily sleep-slurred. Rae kissed his chest and cuddled closer. “Night, baby. I love you.” 

Daryl mumbled something that sounded like “I love you” and Rae drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.


	8. Chapter 8

Raelynn didn’t feel so great when she got ready for work, but she chalked it up to the late dinner she and Daryl had the night before. “You sure you’re gonna be ok to go to work?” Daryl asked, concerned about the puny way she looked. She normally took time to make sure that her hair and makeup looked just so, but today she twisted her hair into a messy bun and she didn’t bother with makeup.

Daryl rubbed the back of his fingers across her cheek. “I’ll be fine. I took something and it should start to work soon.” Daryl offered to drive her so she could rest on the way, but she told him no. “I don’t want to make you late. Besides, if I needed to come home, you’d have to leave work to come and get me.” 

By ten o’clock she felt way worse and had almost thrown up during a meeting and she felt like she hadn’t slept for days. Michelle, her supervisor, suggested that she go home. “I’m going to sip some ginger ale and try to stick it out.” That turned out to be the worst mistake ever. By lunchtime, she had a gnawing ache in her lower belly and she had started throwing up. She tried calling Daryl a few times, but he didn’t hear his phone. She didn’t think there was any way that she could drive herself home now and she was kicking herself for not leaving sooner.

“Hey, Cupcake!” Merle answered. When Rae couldn’t get Daryl to answer his phone and no one answered at the garage, she called Merle, praying that he might be able to take her home. 

“Merle, I need a ride.” Her voice sounded weak and a little shaky to him and he didn’t like it. He was afraid that Nick had done something to her and he was already getting pissed.

“What’s the matter, honey? Are you hurt or somethin’?” He really didn’t want to have to beat Nick within an inch of his life, but if he’d hurt Raelynn, he was in for it.

“No, I’m not hurt. I’m sick and I need to go home. I tried calling Dary and calling the garage, but no one answered.” Merle told her that he would be there to take her home in ten minutes. 

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Daryl raced home as fast as he could after he called Raelynn back. He found her lying on the couch with a garbage can next to her in case she needed it. He knelt down beside her and gently stroked her hair. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry I didn’t get your message sooner. Are you ok?” Rae mumbled that she was as long as she was very still. “What do you need me to do, honey? You need anything?” Rae shook her head. “Ok, baby. You rest now.” 

Merle was in the kitchen where he’d been since he got Rae settled. “Thanks for picking her up, man. I appreciate you taking care of her.”   
Merle waved it off. “She’s family, brother. We do what we can for our family. She’s pretty sick. Any idea what’s going on with her?” 

Daryl shook his head. “She didn’t feel well when she got up this morning, but she thought it was just because we fell asleep after work and ate dinner late. I tried to talk her into stayin’ home, but she said she thought she’d feel better. I just hate that I missed her calls.” 

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By early evening the gnawing ache Raelynn had been feeling in her lower belly was a constant throb. Her nausea had backed off for a while, but then the pain got worse and then it made a return. 

“Tell me what I can do, sweetheart,” Daryl pleaded. “I hate seeing you like this.” She was still on the couch and her head was in Daryl’s lap. He was worried. He could see how much pain she was in and nothing he’d given her had helped. 

“I don’t know, babe. This sucks so much.” Raelynn drew her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs. This position somehow made her feel a little better. Daryl hated feeling helpless, especially when it came to her. Sitting here comforting her wasn’t helping, but there wasn’t anything he could do that he hadn’t already done. 

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“It’s alright, sweetheart. I gotcha.” Daryl was on the bathroom floor, holding Raelynn’s hair back. It was just after one in the morning and Raelynn hadn’t gotten much sleep. Daryl hadn’t gotten any. She was fitful and moaned when she had slept. Now, she was crying and she was obviously in worse pain. 

“It hurts so much,” she sobbed. She laid down on the cool bathroom floor and rested her head on Daryl’s leg. 

“I’m takin’ you to the emergency room. I should’ve taken you a long time ago.” He really didn’t like the way she looked now, and he was scared. Of course, he’d seen her sick plenty of times before, but this was different. 

“Noooo! I don’t want to go to the ER, Daryl. I don’t want to end up having surgery again.” She was bawling and it was breaking Daryl’s heart. A few years ago, she’d had to undergo emergency surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst. Nick hadn’t paid her any attention while she was poked and prodded. Her needle phobia had gotten worse because of that. She needed someone to be there for her and hold her hand and tell her that everything was going to be alright. Daryl got to the hospital after she was already taken to the operating room. Nick was nowhere to be found when she was brought to recovery, so Daryl sat with her while she woke up and dealt with post-surgical pain. 

“Shhhh… Don’t cry, sweet girl. I’ll be right there with ya. I won’t leave you for a minute.” He gently rubbed his hand over her hair and wiped away her tears. “I bet you don’t even need surgery. Didn’t you say that your birth control pills help prevent those cysts?” Rae nodded her head against his leg. “Even if you do have one, it’s probably small and nothin’ to worry about. Come on. Let’s go get you checked out and get some good pain killers in ya.” Rae sat up after a few minutes and agreed to go. 

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Raelynn was finally sleeping. She’d suffered through having her blood drawn, two unsuccessful IV sticks before they finally got a good vein and any other way they could think of to torture her. Well, at least that was how it felt. Her nurse was the best, though. She took the time to really talk to Raelynn and help her to feel more at ease. She tracked down the doctor to get orders for pain meds and something for nausea right away. She told Daryl that she wasn’t going to let Rae lie there in pain any longer. 

Daryl sat beside her, watching her sleep. He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand and made sure that the blankets were pulled all the way up under her chin. They’d given her some pretty heavy drugs to make her comfortable and stop the nausea, and it knocked her out. After the day she’d had, she needed to rest. 

Daryl was beginning to nod off when a tech came in with an ultrasound machine. Rae woke up enough to get into position for a transvaginal ultrasound and was groggy enough not to give a damn about it. Daryl was horrified when he saw the tech roll a condom on the probe. “Daryl,” Rae slurred. Thank God she distracted him. He really didn’t want to see any more than he’d already seen. 

“I’m right here, honey. You ok?” Raelynn licked her lips and moved her tongue around in her dry mouth. She looked up at him with glassy eyes and blinked heavily. “You can close your eyes. I’m right here.” 

“No,” she shook her head. “Talk to me. This part sucks and I don’t want to think about it.” He stood beside her, taking her hand in his and kissed her palm. 

“I was thinkin’ that maybe we could go down to Tybee Island when it warms up. We could spend a week down there on the beach and we can go to Savannah if you want.” Raelynn winced and squeezed his hand as the tech moved the probe around. Daryl rested his other hand on her cheek. “Just look at me, sweetheart. Look at me.” 

The exam felt like it was taking forever. The tech moved the wand a little and then keyed in the info into the machine, moved it a little more, and typed a little more. It was tedious and painful and Rae was over it. Daryl tried to keep her distracted by talking more about their beach vacation, but she was clearly having a hard time listening to him. Her doctor came in near the end of the exam and studied the screen while the tech finished up. Daryl overheard her ask the tech to print off some of the pictures, but he didn’t think anything of it. 

Dr. Cloyd rolled over beside Raelynn and opened her laptop. “So, all of your test results are back. Just to make sure, do you give permission for him to be in here while we discuss everything?” Rae agreed. “Ok. I just have to cover all of my bases. You do have a small cyst on your ovary, but it’s nothing to worry about. You also have a urinary tract infection. Now, you said that you’re taking birth control pills, have you missed any or have you taken antibiotics in the last few months?” Raelynn told her that she had been on antibiotics several weeks back for a sinus infection. “Would you say that was around eight weeks ago?” Rae nodded. Dr. Cloyd held one of the photos over so Raelynn could see it. “This right here is the cyst on your ovary. This kind of cyst is called a corpus luteum cyst. This kind of cyst develops and produces progesterone.” The doctor laid the photo aside and grabbed another one. “This right here is the reason why you have that kind of cyst.” 

Daryl and Raelynn looked at the little shape in the grainy black and white photo, but neither of them had a clue what they were looking at. They looked at the doctor, waiting for her to explain. “When you took antibiotics, they reduced the efficacy of your birth control.” She leaned in closer and pointed out the different structures and explained what they were looking at. “This black area right here,” she pointed out with her pen, “is your uterus. This little thing right here is your baby.” 

“Baby?! You mean that’s not a cyst or a tumor?” Raelynn asked. Daryl stared at the doctor as if he didn’t understand, or didn’t believe, what she was saying. He’d fully prepared himself for Rae to need surgery again. This was not at all what either of them dreamed they would be finding out. 

“I’m sure. I could see its little heartbeat flickering on the screen and everything looks good,” the doctor smiled. “You’re feeling normal discomfort in early pregnancy, but because of the UTI that you have, it’s just worse.”

“So… Wait…” Raelynn scooted around until she was able to sit all the way up. “I have a history of cysts. Are you absolutely sure that this isn’t a cyst?” She couldn’t wrap her head around any of this. Her gynecologist told her that she might have a little trouble getting pregnant because of them, and she explained that to Dr. Cloyd. 

“It’s true that some women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome do have trouble with conception, but I don’t believe that you have PCOS. I reviewed your records and found that the cysts that you’ve had are normal, functional cysts. The one that you had surgery for was just an odd one that grew until it ruptured. It’s just one of those things that sometimes happens. You don’t have any of the other signs or symptoms of PCOS, you’re just more prone to cysts because you’ve had one before. Birth control pills are a great way to reduce recurrence and to reduce the size of them.” 

Daryl sat down. He kept staring at the doctor, waiting for her to explain once again that Raelynn was pregnant because he wasn’t a hundred percent sure that he’d heard her correctly. He thought that they would have planned it all out, but this way was kind of fun now that he thought about it. It was a surprise, much like the way they discovered that they both had been in love with each other for so many years. Still, he didn’t know how Rae felt about this yet. 

“Daryl!” Rae said a little louder. She’d said his name three times and he just sat there, staring off. His head snapped up and he apologized for being a million miles away in his thoughts. “Dr. Cloyd asked if we had any questions. Do you have any?” 

“Yeah, uh, her and the baby, they’re alright?” Dr. Cloyd nodded and smiled. “Good. What do I need to do to take care of ‘em?” 

“I want her to take it easy until she sees an obstetrician. Keep her hydrated, feed her lots of healthy food, and I want her to start taking prenatal vitamins. I’m going to write her a prescription for the UTI and see if I can round up some pamphlets on what she can and can’t eat and what medications are safe to take during pregnancy.” Dr. Cloyd smiled at the way Daryl was looking at Raelynn. He looked at her like she was a precious gift. It was refreshing to see the joy in a place that often saw heartbreak.

Daryl pulled into the driveway and parked the car. Raelynn had been quiet since finding out that she was pregnant and Daryl didn’t know what to make of it. “You ok, sweetheart?” Raelynn looked at him, tears threatening to fall. “What is it, honey? Why are you crying?” He raised their linked hands to his lips and pressed them against the back of her hand. “Are you still feeling sick? Do you need me to get you something?” 

“Daryl,” Rae started. Her voice trembled and her chin quivered. “I’m not even divorced from Nick yet. Is this really the right time for us to have a baby?” He stared at her, speechless. He felt like he’d been punched in the gut and his chest felt tight. Could she really be considering not having the baby? 

“You don’t want it?” If the heartbreak in his voice wasn’t crystal clear, it was with the look in his eyes. Daryl knew as soon as the doctor told him that Raelynn and the baby were fine that he already loved it. He didn’t know if he could take this. 

“I didn’t say that. I… It’s just that this is a lot to take in, ya know?” He truly didn’t know what to say, so he got out of the car and helped her into the house.


	9. Chapter 9

Raelynn woke up the next morning and Daryl’s spot was empty. Daryl was always holding her when she woke up. She sighed and sat up slowly. Her stomach was still unsettled, but better than it was the day before. 

Daryl sat at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee and thinking. In only a matter of moments, things had gone from immense joy to heartache. Sure, there were things to be concerned about as far as having a baby now, but he loved Raelynn with everything he had. When he saw the photo of their baby, he loved it instantly. He was confused and hurt by her reaction. 

“Good morning,” Rae said quietly as she entered the kitchen. Daryl looked at her with sad eyes and said good morning back. “I think we need to talk.” Daryl stared at his coffee mug and gave a curt nod. Rae had hurt him deeply and she hoped that she could fix this. She hated seeing him this way.

“Daryl, I didn’t mean that I don’t want to have the baby, but you have to agree that this is really shitty timing. I’m just worried that it might complicate things.” Rae and Daryl had always been brutally honest with one another on everything, except of course, that they were in love with one another. She didn’t feel like this was something that they should sugarcoat or gloss over to make it pretty. She was scared and her emotions were raw and she needed to hash all of this out with him.

Daryl looked at her with the most hurt and anger she’d ever seen in his eyes. “Please, Raelynn, don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel,” Daryl snarked. “I went from loving this baby more than I ever knew I could love anything, and I ain’t even met it yet, to not knowing how to feel because you act like timing is everything and because it’s not just right, that this is a bad idea.” Like Rae, his emotions were raw and the prevailing one was almost like grief. He was afraid that this was going to all blow up in his face and he was going to lose everything. How could he keep living when he lost his baby, the love of his life, and his best friend all at once? Maybe terror was what he really felt. Either way, he didn’t know how to process it. 

“Daryl! Did you not hear me when I said that I want to have this baby? How can you not be worried about the timing? My divorce isn’t final. I don’t know if that will affect things if Nick finds out. And, you and I are just getting started in this relationship. Having a baby changes a relationship. I don’t want anything to go wrong with us. I love you and I want to have babies with you. I want this baby. I’m just scared.”

Daryl was quiet for a long time. He understood her worries, and in an odd way, it was comforting that she admitted that she was scared too. “Over the years, I’ve always thought about us being together and having a family. So many of those daydreams were of finding out that we were gonna have a baby. None of those daydreams were of it happening at the perfect time. The thing about you and me is that we both know how bad the bad stuff can be. We’ve been through it and have gotten each other through it. But, we also know how good the good stuff can be.” He reached across the table and took her hand and Rae felt her breath catch in her throat. “When the doctor pointed out everything in that photo and showed us our baby, I felt like my heart was going to swell out of my chest. I know that the timing ain’t great, but maybe that’s what makes this even more special. We’ve had a lot of years together and we have a lot more ahead of us. I don’t want to take an opportunity of something joyful and turn it into something worrisome because of timing or some other trivial thing. I’m not trying to make light of how you feel about this being the wrong time, I promise. I just want you to see it from my point of view. This is a big thing that we should be happy about, no matter what. To hell with time or anything else.” 

Raelynn felt like she had been a fool for worrying about such an insignificant thing. Daryl put it all out there. His whole heart and how he felt was all out for her to take in. 

“Daryl,” Rae whispered. Her voice trembled with emotion. “Can you forgive me? I was looking at this all wrong. I got so focused on one thing, and it wasn’t even the right thing. I never meant to hurt you, or make you feel like I didn’t want the baby. Most of all, I never meant to make you feel like I didn’t want this. I would never take that from you.”

She knelt between his legs and laid her head on his thigh. Daryl felt her warm tears soaking through his sleep pants. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Please don’t cry.” He rubbed his hand gently over her head. “Look, I get why you’re worried. Everything’s gonna be ok, honey, I promise. Look at me.” Rae wiped her eyes and looked into his eyes. “Have I ever lied to you?” She shook her head. “Do you believe me when I tell you that everything is gonna be ok?” Rae nodded. “Good girl. There’s nothing that I need to forgive you for. You were open and honest with me and you laid all your feelings out, and we talked it out. I’m sorry for being an ass earlier. I shouldn’t have snapped at you for telling me how you felt.”

“So, we’re good now?” Rae asked, nervously. 

“We’re better than good, sweetheart.”

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“Daryl, I look ridiculous!” She came out of the bathroom, wearing a bikini. Her breasts were bigger and fuller, All of her pregnancy weight was in her boobs and her belly. Daryl bought her a bikini for their honeymoon. He loved looking at her big, round belly. They got married as soon as the weather was warm enough to go to the beach. The baby was due in July and they were trying to fit in as much fun and adventure as possible before then. 

“C’mere, let me see.” He was sitting on the bed in their hotel room, grinning from ear to ear as Raelynn came into full view. “Mmmm… You look absolutely beautiful.” He rubbed his hands along her thighs, over her hips, and rested them on her belly. “Stunning even.” He slowly ran his tongue over his bottom lip. “You’ve never looked more beautiful, sweetheart.” He dipped his head and pressed soft kisses along the side of her neck. “So fuckin’ good, baby.” He untied the strings of her bikini top and kissed up to her full lips. “Feel what you do to me?” He put her hand on his erection that was straining against his swim trunks. 

Rae smiled against his lips and slipped her hand into his trunks. “We’re never gonna get to the beach if we keep taking each other’s clothes off.”

“That’s fine with me,” he moaned. She was stroking him just right and he wanted inside of her sooner rather than later. “I’d rather watch you riding me.” He tugged the strings on each of her hips and pulled the tiny bit of fabric that made up her bikini bottoms off. “I gotta feel you, sweetheart.” 

They both worked to take off his trunks as he slid back on the bed. “You’re perfect, Rae. So perfect.” 

Raelynn climbed over his hips. “I love you so much, my dear husband.” She watched his perfect face as she sank down his length. It was her favorite thing to see. The way his face would relax, the way his lips parted, and the way his brows peaked followed by the way a moan would roll all the way through him. “Oh my God, baby…” It always took her breath.

“Raelynn… I love you.” He let his hands glide all over her silky skin. “Ahhh, Christ… You’re so wet for me, aren’t you?”

Rae leaned forward and grabbed the headboard. The added pressure from the weight of the baby and the extra blood flow made her climax faster and harder and Daryl loved it maybe more than she did. “That’s it, sweetheart, fuck me. C’mon… Yeah, baby.” 

Rae moved faster and Daryl thrust into her in time with her movements. He reached up with both hands and held her face. “Look at me, baby. Let me see you when you cum.” Her eyes were wide and looked pleadingly into his. “Tell me what you need.”

“So close,” she whimpered. “Rub my clit, baby. Make me cum hard.” Daryl grinned up at her and reached his hand over to the side of the bed. 

“I can do even better than that.” She heard the humming sound and as soon as he pressed her vibrator against her, she was screaming. 

“Don’t stop moving, Rae. Come on, darlin’. I’m close.” He grabbed her hips and moved her into his thrusts until he came, growling like a grizzly a few minutes later.

Rae turned onto her side after she caught her breath, smiling up at her amazing husband. “Order in and movies and try for the beach again tomorrow?” 

Daryl chuckled, gnawing the inside of his lip. “Sounds good to me. We still have five more days to try to make it happen.”


	10. Chapter 10

“What time do we gotta be there?” Daryl asked for easily the fifth time since dinner. Raelynn gave him a frustrated glare over the top of the bag she was double-checking. “Sorry… Midnight, I know. I don’t know why I keep asking.” Of course, he knew, but he couldn’t admit to her that he was nervous. She had to do all the hard work and there was no way he could let on that he had enough anxiety for two people.

He went over to where she was and rested his arms on her shoulders. “You ready to do this, sweetheart?” 

Rae shook her head. “No. I mean I want our baby here. I can’t wait for that. I’m just scared. You know how much I hate hospitals.” 

Daryl pulled her head against his chest, stroking the pad of his thumb behind her ear. “I know, sweetheart. I’m not gonna leave your side for a second. If you start getting scared just tell me. I’ll make it all better.” He tipped her head back and kissed her tenderly. “I promise.”

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After Raelynn was admitted, she and Daryl were taken to their birthing suite. The nurse started her IV and hooked her up to the fetal monitor. Soon she had meds to help her cervix to soften and a little something for her nervous stomach.

They got a little sleep with Daryl in the recliner pulled up right beside her. He held her hand the entire time they slept.

The medication they used to soften her cervix caused some mild contractions early on, but regular contractions started occurring around four that morning. “Daryl… Wake up.”

He jumped and sat up right away. He heard something in her voice that broke all the way through his slumber and shook him.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he whispered. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “What’s going on? You ok?” 

Seeing his beautiful face and his loving eyes made her feel better already. “I’m having contractions and they hurt. I’m scared.”

“I know you are, darlin’. Everything is going to be just fine, I promise.” He held her hand between both of his and kissed her fingers. “You believe me, right?” 

"Yeah. Yeah, I do."

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“When can she have an epidural?” Daryl asked, sounding frazzled. Raelynn had been in labor for hours and the contractions were getting stronger and lasting longer and she wasn’t coping well with it. Raelynn had no intention of doing this without drugs.

“I’m going to check her now,” the nurse said as she pulled on a pair of sterile gloves. “We’ll see where she is and we can determine if she’s made enough progress for an epidural, or if we can give her a little something in her IV.”

“Please! Daryl, please make them give me something! It hurts so much!” Raelynn gripped his hand with everything she had. Tears spilled down her cheeks. If Daryl could have taken it all, all of the hurt, the fear, and the anxiety, he would have in a heartbeat.

“I know, sweetheart. The nurse is gonna check you real quick and then she’ll get you something.” He propped his hip on the edge of her bed and asked her to look at him. “I’m right here. Just look at me, baby.”

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Raelynn was exhausted and she looked like she’d been through hell, but she’d never been more beautiful to him. Daryl snapped a million pictures of his girls. Izzie Kate Dixon gave her mama hell on her way into the world, but Raelynn rallied and showed strength that she didn’t know she possessed. 

“Look at that smile on your face,” Rae beamed. Daryl had been everything she needed and more. He kept his promise and didn’t leave her side for a moment. The second he saw his baby daughter, his heart felt too large for his chest. “Come get your baby and let me get some pictures of you and her.”

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5 years later

“Come on girls,” Daryl called. Izzie and Avery thundered down the hall to the living room. Daryl waited by the door with baby Zoey in her carrier. It was a big day. They were going to meet Uncle Merle and Aunt Andi’s brand new baby boy. “Do you girls remember when Zoey came home? We had to wash our hands and be very gentle?” Izzie and Avery nodded. “And remember how you have to be very quiet because loud sounds scare the baby?” The girls nodded again. “You’re gonna be on your very best behavior, right?” 

“Yes, daddy,” they agreed. 

Raelynn checked the girls’ outfits and made sure their bows were still just how they were supposed to be in their hair. She smiled as she watched the girls hold hands and walk together to the minivan she’d traded her car for when Avery was born. Daryl pulled Raelynn close for a quick kiss. “I love you, Rae. You and our girls are my whole world.” 

“And you are ours. I love you, baby. You’re the love of my life.”

Daryl smiled and rubbed his fingertips across her cheek. “I’ll love you to my last breath.”

The girls started yelling for them to “come on already” and Daryl and Raelynn laughed. “Let’s go meet baby Ollie. Oh, and try not to get baby fever, please.” 

Daryl shook his head and chuckled. “Ain’t makin’ no promises.”

When Zoey was fifteen months old, Daryl and Raelynn had their last baby. Another girl that they named Kaylee. Daryl was massively outnumbered and he finally had to give in and trade his beloved truck for a ridiculously large SUV, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He and Raelynn were happy, their girls were all healthy and happy, well, except for Kaylee who was hungry. The house was always noisy and you could count on finding toys in every room, but it was home.

The End


End file.
